Paris Saint-Germain will be the younger team when they face FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie. However, one reason that the Parisians might be the favorite to some is because Luis Enrique is on their sideline.
Enrique has the capital club to win the league, domestic cup, and Champions League. Furthermore, one former player believes that the Spanish tactician has changed everything about PSG, which could concern Barcelona.
Former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain footballer Ludovic Giuly gave an interview to Barcelona’s media ahead of the showdown between his former teams, praising Enrique’s great work with the Parisian side. Nonetheless, Giuly has the Catalan club as the favorite.
“Luis Enrique has changed everything,” Giuly stated (h/t Mundo Deportivo). “There’s competition in every position. He hasn’t fielded the same lineup in three consecutive games, practically. There aren’t just 11 players, there are 20, and they can all play.
“The squad management is phenomenal, but then it remains to be seen how they perform in two such demanding and almost consecutive matches. We have to see if their star players make the difference… perhaps Barcelona is the favorite because they have more experience in these types of matches.”
Barcelona have other concerns aside from knowing what Enrique will bring to the matchup. Pedri is unlikely to play in the first leg on Wednesday, so it’s a massive blow for the Spanish team.
A recent report revealed that Pedri didn’t complete the training, doing little more than half, whereas Frenkie de Jong not only finished the session but did so with good sensations. So it’s another hurdle Barcelona will need to overcome.
